How Meghan Markle Resembles Kate Middleton: See Their Garden Party Outfits Side-by-Side

Meghan Markle made her first public appearance as the Duchess of Sussex on Tuesday, and some are [...]

Meghan Markle made her first public appearance as the Duchess of Sussex on Tuesday, and some are wondering if she modeled her garden party look after sister-in-law Kate Middleton.

Three days after tying the knot to Prince Harry on May 19, Markle attended her first royal event: Prince Charles' 70th birthday party, which was held at Buckingham Palace. While her pale pink dress earned rave reviews, the newest royal seemingly took cues from the outfit that Kate Middleton wore to her first Garden Party in May 2012, just a year after she wed Prince William.

Markle certainly dressed to impress the royal family and onlookers, wearing London-based womenswear label Goat Fashion's "rose-pink" "Flavia" pencil dress. The modest dress featured a tailored bodice, pencil skirt, and a silk-chiffon yoke and sleeves. She completed the look with a custom Philip Treacy hat, which matched her pumps and Wilbur & Gussie clutch. She also wore Vanessa Tugendhaft diamond rose "Idylle" earrings, according to PEOPLE.

The look was very reminiscent of Middleton's 2012 Garden Party ensemble, during which she wore an Emilia Wickstead dress, which she paired with a matching Jane Corbett fascinator. She also wore LK Bennett "Sledge" pumps and carried a "Natalie" clutch from the British label.

The similarity in the outfits even goes down to the way in which both of the royal women tilted their hats to the right. However, the similarities ended with their hair, with Markle opting for a sleek side bun while Middleton wore her hair down.

Prince Charles' 70th birthday party marked the first time that Markle followed royal protocol and wore pantyhose, something that she had gone without at previous events prior to their marriage.

During the event, the Duchess of Sussex's husband, Prince Harry, now known as the Duke of Sussex, gave a moving speech about his father.

"It really is amazing to see so many of you here today for this family celebration," he said. "I say 'family' because this is a chance for us to honour The Prince of Wales's work over the last forty plus years, with all of his charities, patronages and military associations – and, as you all know, my father views all of your organisations like an extended family."

He went on to praise his father's work, stating, "You have inspired William and I, and looking out here today, it is clear to see that we are not alone," he said. "You have created an incredible body of work that has, and will continue to make such a huge difference to so many people's lives both here and around the world."

His speech was briefly interrupted by a pesky bee, which stung the Prince in the middle of his speech, though he quickly got back on pace.

2comments